Two charged in Largo drug murder

Two people were arrested Tuesday in the shooting death of a man over the weekend, the Largo Police Department said.

Byron Jackson, 32, and Melissa Janet Ortiz, 27, were charged with murder in the first degree in the death of Stuart Duane Barker, 39, the Largo Police Department said.

The three were inside Jackson's silver Mitsubishi on Saturday having a discussion about the sale of drugs when Barker was shot, police said.

Witnesses saw the Mitsubishi parked at 415 Woodrow Ave. N.W. in Largo. There were people inside the vehicle when Barker was shot and left in the parking lot. The Mitsubishi, which had no rear window, was seen leaving the scene. Barker was pronounced dead in the parking lot.

Detectives were able to identify the suspects through analysis of phone records.

They were seen on Tuesday driving the silver Mitsubishi with no rear window in the area of Highland Avenue and Belleair Road near Largo.

Largo police and Clearwater police conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and arrested both suspects.